Nationalist politicians have responded sceptically to the UDA ceasefire which has been greeted enthusiastically by unionist parties.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr Gerry Kelly said his north Belfast constituents had often been the victims of UDA sectarian attacks. "Everybody would be glad to have a genuine end to violence if this is a genuine cessation. My view, and the view of most nationalists, would be sceptical. The empirical evidence has shown that when the UDA has in recent years announced ceasefire no first-strike policies, it still engages in attacks on vulnerable Catholic communities. They will be looked upon as people who have told lies in the past. They must prove by their actions that these words are not meaningless."
SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan said the statement was welcome but not enough: "A qualifying ceasefire from a dubious group can only get a qualified welcome from a sceptical community."
SDLP Assembly member Mr Alban Maginnis said people were naturally cautious about the statement. "We have been here before and they have not delivered. We will judge them by their actions and not by their statements."
Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble said the UDA announcement was a "welcome and positive development".
The Progressive Unionist Party, the UVF's political wing, also said the UDA ceasefire was very encouraging. "They need to be given enough support from everyone to ensure they can carry out all the promises they have made," said Assembly member, Mr Billy Hutchinson.
"People living in loyalist neighbourhoods want to be seen in a positive light. They hope this means the days are over when the image of loyalism is shaven heads and men in white T-shirts walking dogs."
The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, also welcomed the statement as "a positive move in the right direction but one that must result in a permanent end to paramilitary activity in all its aspects".
The UDA's re-engagement with the decommissioning body, its pledge to work to defuse tension on the peace-line, and its recognition of the problem of drug abuse were positive developments, he said.
"The communities that have suffered most grievously over the past 30 years and more are often those which were severely disadvantaged in the first place." Peace and stability can come only when the Belfast Agreement is fully implemented, said Mr Murphy.